Intraoral device

Abstract

An intraoral device includes a one-piece, flexible, injection molded body made of a single homogeneous material. The body includes upper front and rear flaps, and lower front and rear flaps. Upper edges of the front flaps and lower edges of the lower flaps are sealed by respective upper and lower parts of a patient's mouth to form upper and lower evacuation channels when the body is disposed within the patient's mouth. Evacuation holes in the flaps are in communication with the evacuation channels. A connection section is in communication with the evacuation channels and is configured to extend outside of the patient's mouth to connect with a vacuum source for evacuating fluid from the patient's mouth through the evacuation holes and the evacuation channels.

1. A one-piece, injection-molded intraoral device, comprising:
 a one-piece, flexible, injection molded body made of a single homogeneous material, the body including 
 a spine, 
 an upper front flap including an upper edge, 
 an upper rear flap including an upper edge separated from the upper edge of the upper front flap by a gap, 
 a lower front flap including a lower edge, 
 a lower rear flap including a lower edge separated from the lower edge of the lower front flap by a gap, 
 the upper flaps joined along the spine to form an upper open pocket and the upper edges of the upper flaps configured to be sealed together by an upper part of a patient's mouth and form an upper evacuation channel when the body is disposed within the patient's mouth, 
 the lower flaps joined along the spine to form a lower open pocket and the lower edges of the lower flap configured to be sealed together by a lower part or tongue of a patient's mouth and form a lower evacuation channel when the body is disposed within the patient's mouth, 
 one or more evacuation holes in at least one of the upper flaps and in communication with the upper evacuation channel, 
 one or more evacuation holes in at least one of the lower flaps and in communication with the lower evacuation channel, 
 a connection section in communication with the upper evacuation channel and the lower evacuation channel and configured to extend outside of the patient's mouth to connect with a vacuum source for evacuating fluid from the patient's mouth through the evacuation holes and the evacuation channels. 
 
   
   
     2. The intraoral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a flexible bite piece having at least 15% vertical compressibility. 
   
   
     3. The intraoral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a flexible bite piece having at least 15% longitudinal displaceability. 
   
   
     4. The intraoral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a flexible bite piece having at least 6% lateral displaceability. 
   
   
     5. The intraoral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes a flexible bite piece having at least 15% vertical compressibility, at least 15% longitudinal displaceability, and at least 6% lateral displaceability. 
   
   
     6. The intraoral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes an illumination member to be optically coupled to a light source for illumination of an interior of the patient's mouth. 
   
   
     7. The intraoral device of  claim 1 , wherein the body terminates distally in a cheek portion that flexes when the body is disposed in the patient's mouth to cause at least a portion of the upper edges of the upper flaps and the lower edges of the lower flaps to seal together. 
   
   
     8. A one-piece, injection-molded intraoral device, comprising:
 a one-piece, flexible, injection molded body made of a single homogeneous material, the body including 
 a flexible upper portion forming an open pocket that contacts an upper part of the patient's mouth when the body is disposed within the mouth of the patient, 
 a flexible lower portion forming an open pocket that contacts a lower part or tongue of the patient's mouth when the body is disposed within the mouth of the patient, 
 one or more evacuation holes in at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion, 
 one or more evacuation channels in at least one of the upper portion and the lower portion and in communication with the one or more evacuation holes, 
 a connection section in communication with the one or evacuation channels and configured to extend outside of the patient's mouth to connect with a vacuum source for evacuating fluid from the patient's mouth through the one or more evacuation holes and the one or more evacuation channels, and 
 a flexible bite piece that is vertically compressible, longitudinally displaceable, and laterally displaceable. 
 
   
   
     9. The intraoral device of  claim 8 , wherein the bite piece is at least 15% vertically compressible. 
   
   
     10. The intraoral device of  claim 8 , wherein bite piece is at least 15% longitudinally displaceable. 
   
   
     11. The intraoral device of  claim 8 , wherein the bite piece is at least 6% laterally displaceable. 
   
   
     12. The intraoral device of  claim 8 , wherein the bite piece is at least 15% vertically compressible, at least 15% longitudinally displaceable, and at least 6% laterally displaceable. 
   
   
     13. The intraoral device of  claim 8 , wherein the body includes an illumination member to be optically coupled to a light source for illumination of an interior of the patient's mouth.